182 
MELEAGRTS GALLOPAVO. 
wild ones. Many of these require a practised ef e s 
distinguish their true character, but they are al" 'j 
rather less brilliant, and those I examined had a hi . 
whitish hand at the tip of the tail-coverts, and an°* ^ 
at the tip of the tail itself, which instantly betr*?^ 
their origin, the wild ones being entirely destitute , 
the former, and the band on the tip of the tail h e ’ 
neither so wide nor so pure. . 
In the following description we give the genen® , |( 
well as the specific characters of the wild turkey* 
order to make it complete. « 
The male wild turkey, when full grown, is ne*. j 
four feet in length, and more than five in extent. \ ;i 
hill is short and robust, measuring two inches 
half to the corner of the mouth ; it is reddish, and h? ,, 
colour at tip ; the superior mandible is vaulted, dcclft^j 
at tip, and overhangs the inferior, being longei' 'Lg 
wider; it is covered at base by a naked cere u?rf 
membrane, in which the nostrils* are situated, rjg 
being half closed by a turgid membrane, and op e ® ,1, 
downwards; the inferior mandible slightly a f c< i 1 p< 
....... , ..... "" " " ■u.iiiumic oiigu.17 •• 
towards the tip ; the aperture of the ear is defend ^ 1 J 5 
a fascicle of small decomposed feathers ; the tong 1 " 
ileshy and entire ; the irides are dark brown ; 
bristly hairs, and small feathers, which are 
head, which is very small in proportion to the Wjj; 
and half of the neck, are covered by a naked b'! 1 
skin, on which are a number of red wart-like elevate 
on the superior portion, and whitish ones on ^ 
inferior, interspersed with a few scattered, 
still > e r 
& 
numerous on the neck; the naked skin extends ft 1 '* f e 
downwards on the inferior surface of the neck, " 
it is flaccid and membranous, forming an unduft ^ 
appendage, on the lower part of which are cave>' n 
elevations, or wattles. A wrinkled, fleshy, c ° i<t 
extensible caruncle, hairy and penicellated at tip* :ll | |t .|i 
from the bill at its junction with the forehead; 
the bird is quiescent, this process is not much o’.^d 
than an inch and a half long; but when he is eSC ^ e t 
by love or rage, it becomes elongated, so as to 
4 
